Mint Festivals Stockeld licence to be reviewed

Harrogate Borough Council has announced it will review the three-year licence held by Mint Festivals to hold its controversial dance event at Stockeld Park.

Complaints of traffic chaos, litter, loud music and people from the festival urinating in private gardens flooded in from residents neighbouring the site when it was held at the venue, near Wetherby, for the first time in September.

Harrogate Borough Council announced today that it has launched a formal review of the licence following a request from North Yorkshire Police and a campaign by householders near the park.

Coun Stuart Martin, chairman of Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing committee, said: “The council has a responsibility to review a licence if we are asked to.

“It is important that events which are licensed by the council operate without impacting on the licensing objectives. Where an impact is demonstrated, the council will take the appropriate action.

“I would encourage anyone who would like to comment on the recent Mint Festival and the police’s concerns to let us know their views so that they can be taken into account as part of the review of its licence.”

The licence held by Mint Festivals allows entertainment and the sale of alcohol to take place at Stockeld Park on two occasions per year for up to a maximum of three days in total. Attendance is limited to 19,999 people and events must finish by 11pm.

Under the Licencing Act 2003, an application can be made to the licensing authority for a review of a licence because of problems but they must be related to preventing crime and disorder, public nuisance, public safety or protecting children from harm.

North Yorkshire Police has requested a review of the licence of the event, which attracted about 15,000 people, because of crime and disorder and public safety including failure to manage people off site and poor transport plans.

Sergeant Matt France, North Yorkshire Police’s licensing manager, said: “Two of North Yorkshire Police’s key priorities are to ‘protect the public from harm’ and to ‘support vulnerable people’.

“The organiser hadn’t predicated that hundreds of festival-goers would leave the festival on foot, the risks associated with this and the negative impact this would have on neighbouring towns and villages.

“Triggering the review procedure enables the council to revisit the licence and the conditions attached to it, in light of evidence from this year’s event.”

A council official said a 28-day public notice period has now started, providing residents, local businesses, statutory agencies, ward councillors and other interested parties with the chance to take part in the review, by making representations either in support or against the licence.

Following the close of the 28-day notice period on Monday, December 25, a public hearing of the council’s licensing sub-committee will be held within 20 working days to consider all representations and decide if any action should be taken. Respondents will be informed of the date, time and location of the hearing and will be given the opportunity to speak.

The licensing sub-committee will then need to decide whether to revoke or modify the licence or leave it unchanged.

To take part in the review, visit www.harrogate.gov.uk/have-your-say and select “The Licensing Authority at Harrogate Borough Council has received an application for the review of a premises licence for Mint Festival”.